Lee Anne Wong - Dumplings All Day Wong A Cookbook of Asian Delights From a Top Chef

DUMPLINGS ALL DAY WONG

A COOKBOOK OF ASIAN DELIGHTS FROM A TOP CHEF

LEE ANNE WONG

CELEBRITY CHEF AND TV PERSONALITY

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When I met Lee Anne twelve years ago, she was already an incredible badass in the kitchen. She loved flavor, had strong opinions on how and what to cook and wanted to learn, which she did fast. She came from a different mindset than a lot of chefs of that era. While they were focused on French or Italian cooking techniques, and catering to trends and audiences, Lee Anne cut right to the chase and aimed for nothing short of delicious food.

She is a bold and brave chef who continues to evolve. She really knows her Asia flavors, while at the same time, she is truly American with a mix of cultural influences evident in her incredible recipes. Its simply delicious, yummy, flavor-forward cooking.

At Aquavit, she came in as a cook, soon started writing our menu and really kicked ass. Even when we disagreed, it was a joy. She was passionate about how to cook her food and didnt back down. That energy drove her unique and special approach, and in this case, created an incredible collection of dumplings.

A lot of cooks have come and gone from my restaurants, but Lee Anne was a special chef whom I will never forget. Im glad America gets to taste her food because I know its going to be deliciousand unforgettable like her.

Marcus Samuelsson

Marcus Samuelsson is the chef and owner of Red Rooster Harlem and Ginnys Supper Club

In the past 30-plus years, I have had the delight of sampling excellent versions of familiar and comforting Chinese-American classics, as well as contemporary interpretations and regionally authentic dumplings and dim sum, both in the U.S. and in Asia proper.

While I am not much of a fan of the often-bland delivery variety, its what I knew growing up, outside of the occasional visits from my Chinese grandmother, the magical cook. Because I was raised in upstate New York suburbia, my notion of Chinese food was the local take-out place. Every now and then my parents would take me and my brother to the fancy sit-down restaurant that served the bowls of fried noodles with mustard and duck sauce on the table. These types of establishments are the most commonly recognized versions of Chinese-American cuisine, and are wildly different from the regional menus of China. But its how I learned to love dumplings. Dumplings were as much a part of my childhood as any other snack like pizza or hot dogs. Delivery dumplings were my gateway food to every other type of dumpling out there. Xiaolongbao. Gyoza. Momos. Mandu. It was too late. I was hooked.

When I moved to New York City immediately after high school, I was enticed to stretch my culinary legs and explore neighborhoods like Flushing and Chinatown for more authentic flavors. When I turned my attention from art to cooking in my early twenties, I became obsessed with food. For a broke college student, dumplings were an economical and frequent player in my diet. Over the years and through repetition, I have honed my dumpling Jedi skills so I am no longer a slave to takeout. My friends would say I am dumpling addicted. Its the first party favor they ask for whenever I offer to cook, so needless to say being known for your dumplings is a good thing. The ability to make fresh dumplings at home will win you friends and admirers.

I personally have a solemn reverence and respect for the expert dumpling chefs I have encountered in my travels, because I am aware of the work that goes into creating that perfect bite of food. Everyones familiar with cooking bigbig roasts, big casseroles, big anything, really. We are used to making big quantities of food and then cutting it up when it is on our plates so it fits in our mouths. My admiration for dumpling and dim sum chefs stems from the dedication, repetition and intricate skill needed to make this quintessential small food in large quantities. Its why when we see a dim sum basket or plate full of perfect dumplings our eyes get wide and we start to salivatebecause we have an expectation of what comes next and how that taste experience should be. Biting into a hot, fresh, juicy dumpling can be a transcendent moment, the kind that makes your eyes roll to the back of your head, and one that can be repeated (often). This dumpling euphoria is commonly achieved by dining out or ordering in, which is why making them at home for yourself is that much more special.

This book focuses on the Asian style of dumplings. The further you get into the book, the more you will begin to realize that your possibilities are truly endless. As with all styles of cooking, once you master the techniques and basic recipes, youll have the ability to build your own dumpling arsenal.

Skilled dim sum chefs can form hundreds of different creative folds. While the idea of standing in one place all day making dumplings sounds intimidating or boring, I actually quite enjoy the repetitive motions of hand pleating dumplings. I consider it my me time, and it gives me a chance to think about my day or what I have to do next, or how fast I am folding my dumplings (I can fold six per minute). In this book I will teach you some basic folds and cooking techniques. Where you go from there depends on how much practice you put into it. I am ever a student of the dumpling and continue to be inspired by my peers and culinary adventures.

My friend Harris, who learned the art of the dumpling from me, summed it up quite simply during a recent conversation: You left the dumpling filling and wrappers in my fridge the last time you cooked at my place. It was awesome the day after! If I wanted a snack I could make just two dumplings. When I got hungrier, I made a dozen! Thats when I realized I should keep dumpling filling in my fridge all the time, just so I can have fresh dumplings whenever I want At this point Harris was wily-eyed and cackling, kinda like the Hamburglar, only he was talking about dumplings. Me: Smug grin. Take a bow. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, you have had your dumpling epiphany, my friend. Its THAT easy.

I am a huge fan of social media and how its allowed the world to connect in an instant. Part of my passion for cooking centers around the fact that food brings people together. When it comes to dumplings, people dont just come together; they tend to swarm. I personally can drool over pictures of tasty fresh dumplings all day, so please join my dumpling community. Just add the hashtag #dumplingsalldaywong when you post pictures of your dumpling creations on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vine and other social media! Be part of our dumpling family and show your dumpling love!

Cheers, Lee Anne